My family was robbed President Bush

Originally posted by gauncents
Bottom line. The price of gas has more than tripled since bush took office. Make all the excuses you want. Dems, Reps, Libs, Indi, mickey mouse,
howdy doody, casper the friendly ghost, maybe captain caveman.

The Dems took control of Congress with the promise of lower gas prices.

And what have then done? Nothing. Wait, they passed legislation to sue OPEC. That's really helping out people at the pump.

You have not read anything but the first page. Oh yeah, bye the way, welcome to ATS Newbie. If you don't have the attention span to read a thread
completely, then please don't contribute at all. I must say though, you are very much welcome here if you feel like you would like to contribute
within the full thread, then I welcome your thoughts. Screaming boo whoo for something I am not crying about will get you no credibility.

[edit on 30-5-2008 by gauncents]

[edit on 30-5-2008 by gauncents]

Oh I read the entire thread, and it's pretty clear where you're coming from. I stand by what I wrote: Take responsibility for yourself. Life isn't
fair.

Also, you bring up credibility -well here's another tip - if you can't make your point in a single post then why bother posting? The only answer I
can think of is so you can control people's perceptions about your ramblings bit by bit. You want to be able to spin-doctor things if the thread
doesn't go the way you want it to. Sound about right?

Originally posted by jamie83
If you really feel so strongly about it the solution is TOTALLY in your control. Stop buying gasoline. See? It's really simple, isn't
it?

No it's not that simple. Driving isn't a luxury for most, it's a necessity. When did it become a necessity? Right about the time that the modern
world pushed jobs beyond walking distance. Here in the UK, when unemployment was rife Thatcher told us to 'get on our bikes' and find jobs beyond
our locality. Now most people seem to commute at least 30 mins to and from work by car. We don't get the train or bus because it's even more
expensive than driving (somehow). I took the closest job I could and it's still 5 miles away. I've recently begun to cycle but it's still
time-consuming.

1) I have read all of the posts by the OP and I see a person who wants to blame everyone else while he claims to be hurting and is unwilling to make
any real changes. The guy whines about how bad it is and then talks about giving $5 per tooth to his kids. I'd say it's pretty obvious where the
real issue lies.

2) If people are complaining about the price of gas and work is too far to walk, they have this neat invention called a bike. Now I know that takes
effort and it is exercise but it works without gas.

1) I have read all of the posts by the OP and I see a person who wants to blame everyone else while he claims to be hurting and is unwilling to make
any real changes. The guy whines about how bad it is and then talks about giving $5 per tooth to his kids. I'd say it's pretty obvious where the
real issue lies.

I love this. Does anyone read any stock reports?? Big Oil executives including our Congress critters and other governments own LESS than 3% of ALL the
oil companies. If you have retirement,401K, bank investments, YOU OWN THE COMPANIES AS STOCK HOLDERS. YOUR RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HIGH PRICES. YOUR THE
ONES THAT BENEFIT!!! We have no one to blame here realy. NO president or other high ranking official has the power to do anything about it. Market
response to a miriad of events in this world is what drives the price of anything you own or buy, period. Those include regulation, environmental,
legislative, weather, population, no one thing is responsible and most can't be controlled because they are all interrelated.

Originally posted by sos37
Also, you bring up credibility -well here's another tip - if you can't make your point in a single post then why bother posting? The only answer I
can think of is so you can control people's perceptions about your ramblings bit by bit. You want to be able to spin-doctor things if the thread
doesn't go the way you want it to. Sound about right?

Yes, it does. That's what we do here is debate opinions is't it? That's human nature. Everyone has an opinion whether it be good, bad, happy,
sad. Then why do we have presidential debates? If we didn't have a difference of opinions and views, then you would be the president.

We need others to influence us to help understand reason. Just because you don't like my opinions and views doesn't make you right or wrong.

Originally posted by Cythraul
No it's not that simple. Driving isn't a luxury for most, it's a necessity. When did it become a necessity? Right about the time that the modern
world pushed jobs beyond walking distance. Here in the UK, when unemployment was rife Thatcher told us to 'get on our bikes' and find jobs beyond
our locality. Now most people seem to commute at least 30 mins to and from work by car.

Maybe once upon a time driving was unnecessary, but not anymore.

No, you are being blinded by the luxuries of 21 Century living. Driving is NOT a necessity. There are far more people on this planet who do NOT use
a drop of oil than those who do.

If you think driving is a necessity, answer this:

How many BILLIONS of people on the planet earth do NOT own a car? Yet somehow they survive.

No, what has become a "necessity" for you are the comforts modern society affords you. Driving is only necessary for you to continue with the
lifestyle that you choose.

It's the "evil men" as you call them who are providing the resources YOU use to enjoy YOUR life.

You need to step out of the box there and see the big picture. No, it's not entirely our decisions that are making things difficult.

The fact that oil provides us with convenience is NO justification to engage in antitrust, monopoly behavior.

If people are breaking the laws, then it's up to the Justice Department to prosecute them. The Congress can bring action as well by convening an
investigation.

The person who has the LEAST to do with this is the POTUS no matter who he is.

And yes, every gallon of gas, of the billions which are used daily, is the result of a every individual's decision to pick up the handle on the gas
pump, put the nozzle in their car, pay the gas station, and drive off to enjoy the comforts of society.

No I think one man, the president can cause such a mess. The american public was duped into backing a war in Iraq, by him and his administration. Now
where in the all too familiar "Quagmire". Gas prices have gone through the roof since we invaded Iraq, and this mad man has Iran in his sights, good
grief, someone get him locked up already before he blows us all to hell.

The future also doesn't look too bright neither, because I haven't seen a singular "popular" candidate step up and say first item on my list is to
evac Iraq.

Oh but we have to stay n there, or terrorists will get us. It's like the frigging boogey man story you tell a 3 year old.

Terrorists are more likely apt to hit U.S. targets while we're screwing them on a daily basis in thier own back yard, then if we weren't.

Face it Bush and his administration jumped the gun, and we all followed suit because of what we saw on 9/11. Axis of Evil? We'll make no distiction
between terrorists and countries that harbor them? What the hell kind of words are those. They were wrong, and they were a gut reaction. The President
of the strongest Nation on this planet should not be prone to knee-jerk reactions, that scares the hell out of me.

I don't know where you live but I drink from the tap whenever I have the urge to fill my agua bottle.
At least 3 times per week on average.
Hey what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger.

Besides, when you're thirsty, you're thirsty.

Can you say Pin-Day-Hoh?

LOL, you crack me up, i live in California! where do u live? Mexico? besides tap water cannot be good for you unless you have a filter or something.
Maybe when the SHTF i will be drinking tap water but for the moment i can afford bottled water and a filter for my refrigerator. Can you say...no seas
codo!!!pinche frigolero!

"The person who has the LEAST to do with this is the POTUS no matter who he is."

I had to double take that one.

Yes of course there are billions in the world who don't have cars, but they don't live in sprawling metropolis' which take days to walk across. Yes
it is the lifestyle we choose but it also the lifestyle we have been brought up with. You think you could handle living in a city with a wife, 2
children, a dog........ and no car?

Originally posted by jamie83
If you think driving is a necessity, answer this:

How many BILLIONS of people on the planet earth do NOT own a car? Yes somehow they survive.

You haven't really put much thought into this have you. The reason BILLIONS of people don't drive is because their way of life allows them to make a
living by walking to the field outside their village and farming, or some other agricultural work. Are we all supposed to set up farms outside our
homes? No - the reality is that in order for all of us to make a living in our post-agricultural Western World, we have to TRAVEL.

How many jobs are there within reasonable walking/cycling distance of your home? And how many people live within reasonable walking/cycling distance
of those jobs?

- Don't start on about public transport. I don't know how it is where you are but here it costs at least twice what gasoline costs (which if you've
been paying attention, in the UK is $9-10 per gallon).
- And don't start on about moving to a place where the jobs ARE within walking distance either. If everyone did that 99.5% of us would be living in
vast cities which would then have become so big that nothing within it actually remains within walking distance anymore.

I'm not blaming anyone for this, it's just a reality of modern life - a problem which has developed of its own accord but one that we are
hindered by.

EDIT TO ADD: I'd love nothing more than to get rid of my car. I've pondered the feasibilty of it every which way for a couple of years now but I
just can't make it work, even though I'm flexible as to how I make a living.

Welcome to my world i have had to live from paycheck to paycheck for years . M wife cuts my hair. we both have to work to bring in less than 40,00.00
a year. We raised 3 boys on less, most of their lives. They had to work when they became old enough to help the family buy luxuries that many others
took for granted. [ Name brand clothes, shoes, new tires for our 15+ year old car.] The benefit to this lifestyle I woulndn't trade for being a
millionaire all those years. We are a very tight family still today. By the way, I have NO respect for president bush either and consider him a
traitor to this country. But, he is only a puppet that is controlled by a far greater threat to our way of life. We need to unite and let our senators
and representatives that are not controlled by these powe mongers [ yes, I think there are still a majority of them...although I am not positive] know
that we the people will not allow the ORIGINAL American Dream to die. [ Which, incidentally, was not to become filthy rich but, to live free of
government tyranny] Its time for the sheep to let their collective voice be heard.

Originally posted by jamie83
If you think driving is a necessity, answer this:

How many BILLIONS of people on the planet earth do NOT own a car? Yes somehow they survive.

You haven't really put much thought into this have you. The reason BILLIONS of people don't drive is because their way of life allows them to make a
living by walking to the field outside their village and farming, or some other agricultural work.

You haven't really put much thought into this have you?

Farming and agriculture require a multitude of extremely large machinery that run from sun up to sundown.

I hear you Gauncents I live on 1200 a month military pension and it's not easy I have to say however, and it's easy for me to say, my kids are grown
up that It's going to get worse before it gets better. I don't drive and have to shop very carefully for food. I think the writing is on the wall
and that we are in for it. Thats only my humble opinion. Sometimes I think about buying guns and gold but feel deep inside that's only a reaction
and not a response to whats going on (with what money anyway). I've had to downsize so to speak and it looks like there's more to come. Good Luck!

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